Mouth-harmonica.



No. 653,45l. Patented July l0, I900.

H. HUHNER. '4

MOUTH HARMONICA;

(Application filed July 22, 1899.)

(No mo el.)

(dawn/Jed,

m:- nomus wsfzns cu, FMOTD-LITHQ, wasumcmw, o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HANS HOHNER, OF TROSSINGEN, GERMANY.

MOUTH-HARMONICA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,451, dated July 10, 1900.

Application filed July 22, 1899. Serial No. 724,836. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- I

Be it known that I, HANS HOHNER, a citizen of the German Empire,residing at Trossingen, lViirtemberg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mouth- Harmonicas; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention has for its object an improvement in mouth-organs or mouth-harmonicas and it consists of a special coveringcase for such instruments. In this coveringcase sound-channels closed at the front'are pressed or formed to lie over the reeds,whereby the sound of each single reed is conducted toward the back, and thereby becomes fuller and more powerful when in operation. The instrument with a covering case provided with these sound-channels is also stronger and considerably more capable of withstanding wear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 to 5 represent in four different views and one cross-section a mouth-organ consisting of the wood chamber-block (6, two reed-plates b, and two separate coveringcases 0. Conic'allyformed sound-channels d, which are closed at the front, are arranged fixed over eachseparate reed and extend over the covering-case at the mouthpiece side in the form of an arch, joining directly onto the upper and lower edge of the mouthpiece. Both covering-cases o are attached to the instrument in the usual manner. In t-heinstrument likewise depicted in four different views and one crosssecti0n in Figs. 6 to 10 both covering-cases are also provided with sound-channels cl, (above and below,) formed out of one piece in such manner that the covering-case c is carried over the mouthpiece-front of the instrument and there provided with apertures for the blow-holes e, and then over the edges of the reed-plates b and attached to the latter or to the wood chamber-block. Instead of engaging over the blow-hole side ofthe instrument the cov-v ering-case, likewise formed out of one piece, could be carried over the rear side. Figs. 11

and 12 represent a part view or cross section of an instrument in which. both covering-cases are likewise connected together and carried over the mouthpiece-front, the blow-holes e, however, being supported by being partly punched out and each half of the partlypunched-out sheet-metal part 6 being bent round on the chamber side walls a.

The sound-channels d themselves can of course be of any desired cross-section and longitudinal form, and instead of extending each over only one reed they could be formed so as to extend over several such reeds.

The materialout of which the coveringcases, provided with the previously-described sound-channels, are formed can, for example, be sheet metal, celluloid, or other suitable material, as desired. The sound-channels d have only one outlet opening toward the back and are closed at the front.

I declare that what I claim is- 1. A cover for mouth-harmonicas comprising a pair of plates which have arched portions located over the vibrating tongues, said plates being connected by the portions extending in contact with the mouth-engaging side of the chamber-block, said communicatin g plate having apertures opposite the cham-,

bers in the block, and having strips bent inwardly and engaging the walls of said chambers, substantially as set forth.

2. A cover for a mouth-harmonica comprising a pair of plates, each plate having separate non-communicating arched portions extending from the side opposite the mouth-en gaging side toward the opposite side, said plate being in contact with the upper and lower faces of the chamber-block except at said separate arched portions, said plates being connected by a portion extending in contact with the mouthengaging side of the chamber-block, said connecting-plate having apertures opposite the chambers in the. block, and having strips bent inwardly and adapted to engage the walls of said chambers, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HANS HOHNERK Witnesses:

AUGUST DRAUTZ, HERMAN WAGNER. 

